When comparing forex brokers, one term that often comes up is “raw spreads.” For savvy traders, raw spreads are a big deal — they can significantly lower the cost of trading. Olympus Capital has made raw spread accounts a core offering, giving our clients an edge with some of the tightest pricing in the market. But what exactly are raw spreads and why do they matter? Let’s break down the concept and how Olympus Capital leverages it to benefit traders.

What Are Raw Spreads?

In the simplest terms, a “spread” is the difference between the buy (ask) and sell (bid) price of a currency pair. Many brokers add a markup to the spread as their way of earning money, meaning the spreads you see are slightly wider than the actual market quotes. A raw spread account, on the other hand, passes on the direct market prices to the trader with no additional markup. These are the same ultra-tight spreads that liquidity providers and top financial institutions see — often just a fraction of a pip on major pairs like EUR/USD under normal market conditions. Brokers who offer raw spreads typically charge a small commission separately, instead of marking up the spread. This way, the pricing is transparent: you see the real market spread and know exactly what commission you pay per trade.

Why Raw Spreads Benefit Traders

The primary benefit of raw spreads is cost savings. If you’re a high-volume trader or a scalper making many trades a day, those small differences in spread can add up to a significant amount. Trading with raw spreads means you often enter and exit trades at prices much closer to the true market levels. For example, if the actual market spread for EUR/USD is 0.2 pips and a broker offers raw spreads, you might get that 0.2 pip spread and just pay a commission of say $5 per lot. In contrast, a broker with a standard account might offer a 1.5 pip spread with no commission. Depending on your trade size, the raw spread model can be cheaper. It also tends to be more transparent — since you can always calculate your costs by looking at the fixed commission and the tiny spread. Many traders also believe that raw spread accounts offer more reliable execution, especially during volatile news events. There’s no “padding” in the spread, so you might experience less slippage when the market moves quickly (assuming the broker’s execution systems are robust).

Olympus Capital’s Ultra-Competitive Pricing

Olympus Capital prides itself on offering raw spreads that give our clients a clear advantage. We have partnered with multiple top-tier liquidity providers — including global banks and financial institutions — to ensure that our pricing is derived from a deep pool of liquidity. What does that mean for you? It means when you trade with Olympus Capital’s raw spread account, you’re often seeing spreads as low as 0.0 to 0.3 pips on major currency pairs during peak market hours. For example, many of our traders enjoy seeing 0.0-something spreads on EUR/USD or USD/JPY for large parts of the day. We then charge a minimal commission per trade, which is clearly stated upfront. There are no hidden fees. This structure can markedly lower your transaction costs compared to trading on a higher spread, no-commission account elsewhere.

For traders who prefer simplicity, Olympus Capital also offers standard accounts with zero commissions and competitive fixed spreads. However, it’s our raw spread accounts that particularly appeal to experienced traders and those aiming to maximize their returns. Combined with our fast execution (thanks to high-quality infrastructure and those multiple LPs), Olympus Capital’s raw spread offering means you get market-leading pricing and can execute your strategy without worrying about excessive costs or price manipulation.

In summary, raw spreads are all about giving you, the trader, the most direct and cost-effective access to the forex market. Olympus Capital’s commitment to raw spreads and tight pricing is part of our broader mission to provide a superior trading environment. Lower costs per trade can really boost your bottom line over time. So if you’re looking for an edge in forex trading, consider the power of raw spreads — an edge that Olympus Capital is proud to deliver.